Shifting Sands
by tere moto the sentry
Summary: Gaz's cruelty to Dib has gone on for too long, and when a band of otherworldly entities known as the Destinies take her and hold her on trial, her fate may ultimately rest with her victim himself.
1. Someone Watching

**Author's Note:** This story is dedicated to the writer who urged me to pull this idea out after it fell by the wayside and write it. Let's hear a big hand for Dibsthe1!

**Disclaimer:** Jhonen Vasquez and Nickelodeon Studios own "Invader Zim" and all related stuff, except for the Destinies, who are mine.

Chapter 1: Someone Watching

Cruelty is a strange thing. It lurks in the crevices of the human mind, waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. When it senses that one feels vulnerable, it attempts to seduce them in the false and twisted logic that they can feel better by making another feel as they did. Those among us who are moral and righteous strive find the strength we all have to overcome the urge to be cruel, if we are unfortunate enough to come face to face with it.

Not everyone will turn from cruelty though. Some may be lost; some may embrace it; though we all have a conscience. To illustrate the latter, the case of one overpowering girl and her victimized brother could be considered.

This story starts in a suburban neighborhood, in the less hectic outskirts of the bustling city. In the more urban areas of the city, nightfall brought an intense dazzling of light and noise pollution. But the suburbs being focused on had more peaceful nights—less perfect for slipping off and hiding from one's enemy while spying on them, but Dib made do, since his was the task Earth's fate rested on.

_Click. Beep. Whir. Hum. Click click. Whirring. A long hum. Beep. Beep. _

"I think it works," Dib gave a pleased smile. "Gaz, it works!"

The individual he had addressed gave no response as she sat quietly on the nearby couch, her own electronic device beeping as her spidery fingers hit colored buttons with the same speed and accuracy that her brother had displayed on the machine he held in his arms.

"This is going to be awesome!" Dib squeezed his eyes shut in a moment of rapture, not caring that his sister wasn't paying attention. "I'm going to stop Zim this time! Dad helped me with the blueprints on my new robotic camera! It can sneak around Zim's house unseen and I can control it with a remote! Isn't that cool, Gaz? Huh? Huh?"

He grinned from ear to ear at her, but when she didn't bat an eyelash, he decided to go on to his mental checklist of supplies.

"Okay, so there's the camera-check, cloaking device-let's see-check…" He ran through a number of items relevant to his escapade, searching his person for each one and vocally checking them off. Gaz finally reached the end of her game's eighteenth level, promptly saved her progress, and switched the Gameslave 2 off before turning her focus to studying her brother as he spoke.

"…two-way walkie-talkie watch-check…is that all?" He met with his sister's eyes as if she would know the answer. Gaz didn't respond, so transfixed was she on the boy. He raised an eyebrow in question, and finally, she answered.

"I don't like the size of your head," she stated bluntly.

"Er, my head?" Dib frowned. Having his head's mass mentioned out of the blue was not a surprise, but it had always confounded him how many seemed interested only in an insignificant aspect of his physical appearance. Countless ideas or clever bits of knowledge had flown right by quite a few people simply because Dib could not seem to draw their attention to what he had to say rather than the few inches in circumference that his head had on theirs.

"It's so big," Gaz continued, "Didn't you ever once consider that it might annoy people?"

The older sibling blinked. It certainly wasn't as if it was his own fault he was born with the head he had.

"It's not like Dad's head is big," his sister went on, "and mine isn't. So why is yours?" She stared at him accusingly.

"I don't know," Dib answered, "I didn't make it that way. Look, Gaz, I've really got to go before the night gets too late and I get too tired to focus—"

The girl silenced him with an elaborate gesture of the hand and leapt off of the sofa to approach him. Dib stood apprehensively, aware of his sister's unpredictability. She calmly took hold of his face, despite him jerking back.

"I wish it was smaller," Gaz fantasized aloud. Before Dib knew it, though, she tackled him to the ground and bashed the side of his head on the floor.

"_Gaz!_" the boy screamed breathlessly. His eyes, wide with terror, asked the rest of the question.

"Maybe I can chip a piece off this way," she answered, and slammed his head again and again onto the floor. Satisfied with her work, she released him from her hold. Dib got to his feet dizzily.

"Gaz, you could give me brain damage that way!" he turned to her furiously.

Showing no remorse, the girl smirked. "Would that make you shut up?"

Dib's head throbbed too much for him to answer. He looked over at the equipment that had fallen.

"Well, go ahead," Gaz urged in a tone that was more taunting than encouraging. "Go save the world from Zim."

"Not tonight," Dib held his head and rubbed it. "I don't feel up to it."

Gaz, pleased with her "victory", watched him trudge out of the room. Not content with this, though, she took the robotic camera that still lay on the ground and tossed it at the wall.

What Gaz didn't know, however, was that she wasn't alone on that cool, quiet night. In a distant place, worlds away, another dark room was dimly lit by a television-like screen, where two dark shadows, barely visible against their surroundings, looked on intently. A clear picture showed the young girl's actions, and the shadows silently watched until she went to bed.

"How horrible," one said in disbelief, her smooth voice echoing in the room.

"You see?" the other said in disgust, "She's gone on like this for such a long time, and we've just_ watched_. Why haven't you let anyone fetch her yet? Why haven't we begun with her?"

The first shadow didn't react to the passion in his words. "Look at her aura. She's too strong to be taken yet."

"We always wait until the accused one's aura has weakened enough." Anger rose in the second's voice. "That's how we lose so many of the beings we want to protect."

The first considered it for a moment. "I guess you're right," she agreed, "I'll go fetch her."

"No," the second stated. "_I'll_ go fetch her. I've been waiting for this for quite a while."

"Very well," The first nodded, and the second returned the nod, swept out of the room, and was on his way.


	2. Abduction

Author's Note: It's been a year or so since I updated this fic, too, eh? Terribly sorry to all my wonderful fans. If it's any consolation, this happens to be a rather long chapter.

Chapter 2: Abduction

The following morning was punctuated by Gaz's new method of making Dib alert for the day. Milk and bits of cereal dripping from his scowling face, the boy stomped off for a paper towel.

"You ought to use a spoon," Gaz snickered.

"Any specific reason this time?" Dib asked testily as he wiped his face off.

Surprisingly, Gaz found herself unable to answer. When Dib tilted his head expectantly, she sneered.

"Just eat so we can go to skool and I don't have to be near you the rest of the day."

Dib suddenly felt a little victorious.

"It's Saturday, sis," he gave her a sly smile. Gaz widened one of her squinted eyes and growled.

"Well, then stay out of my way," she snapped, "I don't feel like dealing with you now. Not after what you did last night."

Dib stood up in shock. "What _I_ did last night?! I was only preparing to spy on Zim, and _you_ nearly gave me a concussion! And for _the size of my head, Gaz! Grow up!_" His face fell, teeth gritted with a tormented hold.

"For once, Gaz, why don't _you_ leave _me_ alone?"

Gaz stared at him, but whether it was from shock, remorse, or both, Dib couldn't quite tell.

"I'm…" she began, but then swallowed and left the kitchen. Dib turned his head away to give his cereal a long, empty stare. He didn't feel like finishing it, but that was the last thing on his mind.

"_Where are you?_" the echoing female voice called again as a shadowy being with glowing eyes soared rapidly through the cosmos.

"_Earth is a couple of light-years off,_" the being told the telepathic voice, "_Try not to lose your patience. Such a long journey takes time._"

"_I'm sorry,_" his long-distance companion answered, "_I'm just very anxious._"

"_As am I,_" the shadow replied as a round, blue-and-green-colored speck came into view, "_As am I._"

"Gaz, where's my camera?"

"I didn't touch your stupid stuff," Gaz called back, carefully moving and replacing various mechanisms in the device Dib spoke of, which lay on her bed. She finished her work with a snicker as her brother swung her bedroom door open.

"I was hoping I was wrong about that sort of thing for once," he said when he caught sight of the camera.

"Haven't I told you enough to stay out of my room?"

"Haven't I _asked_ you enough not to touch my stuff?"

Gaz sighed. "I'm sorry. I just thought it was an ingenious piece of equipment."

Hoping with all his heart that the compliment was sincere, the boy smiled.

"Um…thank you, Gaz. Can you look at it some other time? I need it right now." He held his arms out, palms facing upward, and carefully approached the girl as if he were trying to coax the camera from a wild animal. His sister slowly began to hand it over to him, before smirking and tossing it at his face. Surprised, Dib fumbled and dropped it. He shot a glare at Gaz before picking up the camera, examining it for damage, and returning to his room to retest it.

Gaz watched with a smirk as he closed his door behind him. She waited quietly as the anticipated sound of her brother turning the mechanism on and snapping a picture became a sharp electrical crackle and an agonized scream. Dib was heard stumbling backwards, knocking over various objects and landing against his bed. Deciding it was time to claim her "victory", as she would call it, Gaz strode into her brother's room and stood beaming at the result of her handiwork. Dib was sitting on the floor, gritting his teeth in pain and continuously rubbing his eyes.

"Be careful next time," she snickered at him, fully intent on adding insult to injury.

Having tired of defending himself with comebacks and retorts, which only ever seemed to gain him a bruise or dislocated nose anyway, the boy remained silent. Just what his sister needed to fuel her confidence in pushing limits. She swaggered up to him.

"You like how I fixed the camera?"

Dib finally decided to speak. "G-Gaz…you could have _electrocuted_ me…Everything hurts and I…can't see…"

"Dad can fix you when he gets home." Gaz rolled her eyes as if he were complaining excessively of a minor paper cut. But as she rolled her eyes, she noticed something that caught her utmost interest. On a nightstand at the head of her brother's bed, a small blue disc in a case lay atop a stack of file folders. She came closer and thumbed through the nametags on the portfolios. Every one of them was labeled "ZIM" in bold letters. Eying a very dazed and dazzled blind Dib, who stumbled onto his bed and complained of a loud ringing in his ears, she easily snatched the disc and slipped out of the room.

Her first idea had been to destroy the disc, since certainly it contained compiled data essential to her brother's "defender-of-the-world mission". She scowled at the thought and shook it off; it was annoying enough to her when he said it, so she found no need to subject herself to the aggravation voluntarily.

But, on second thought, perhaps she'd look first at the vital data she was to erase. With a very sly smile she headed downstairs and knocked on the door to her father's laboratory. When she heard no sound from the other side, she opened the door and walked in—quietly, so as not to disturb anyone working inside whom she had not heard. She had decided long before that keeping on her inattentive father's good side, maintaining her position as his favorite, enabled her to continue her abuse of her brother in secret. Professor Membrane trusted his daughter far more than he did his "insane" son, and being that he was busy with some chemistry project or giving some seminar around the clock, he always assumed Gaz to be the innocent and continued with his work.

Gaz maneuvered on tiptoes around various tables, shelving units, counters, incubators with an assortment of bizarre creatures floating inside, and tall, complex file cabinets. Scanning the tables and counters, Gaz spotted a computer in the far corner of the lab. She walked over, scrambled onto a metallic barstool that occasionally emitted a mechanical hum, and slipped Dib's disc into the drive. While she hummed a light tune to herself, waiting patently for the files to load, the girl happened to glance next to her and notice that a few feet away sat one on the incubators, containing what was perhaps the strangest of the creatures. Studying the being, Gaz couldn't quite figure out what it was that made the monster so unusual compared to the others. It faced her, she noted—but then, on second glance, perhaps they were all facing her; with some of them it was hard to tell where their faces really were, or if they had faces at all. This creature had grainy-looking skin, almost as if it were made of sand, and was about Gaz's size if not a little larger—and stared back at her with large green eyes. _That was it_—all of the other monsters with visible eyes seemed to have them closed. This one was staring at her. She nearly shuddered, but stopped herself and sneered at the being.

"What are you looking at?" she snapped, as if floating in the small incubation tube gave the cryptid much else to do.

The creature didn't speak or move. Gaz entertained the possibility that it was sleeping with its eyes open, but she _felt_ it was watching her, and she jumped a little when the computer alerted her that the disc had been fully loaded.

"Finally," Gaz heaved a sigh, and let an evil smile spread over her face. Adjusting in the stool for a comfortable position, she seized the computer mouse and gave the command to play the disc. A media window appeared on the screen, and Gaz was a bit surprised to see not a video of Zim, but a view of her brother himself, sitting on his bed and adjusting the camera angle. The girl scoffed.

"Probably making a stupid introduction," she told herself aloud. However, Dib didn't portray the confident and victorious visage she had so readily expected. Rather, he seemed more forlorn and exasperated, and after he finished perfecting the camera position, his eyes dropped to the ground and his hands held each other solemnly. He sat there, as if having second thoughts about speaking; but after a pause, he breathed deeply and began.

"Chapter Sixty-Seven," he told the camera half-heartedly, "Honestly, I'm not sure if this is even worth it anymore. I mean, I'm talking to a camera. And recording it. For what?" He looked almost pleadingly at the screen, "It's not like…it's not like anyone would listen to anything I say. But then—" a shadow of a smile appeared, "—I guess I always did like to hear myself talk." Dib brightened slightly with the amusing thought. "Maybe I record this for myself, too. Anyway, not much new today, just my daily bruises from Gaz and a sprained ankle from some of the kids at skool…" He trailed off, maybe from the unpleasant memories, lack of more to say, or both.

'He keeps a video diary?' Gaz thought to herself, 'What a geek.'

Dib looked up towards the screen, as if a recording was able to hear her thoughts.

"I guess I can at least take comfort in knowing Gaz will never see this."

Gaz's eyes widened very slightly, and she slowly shrank from the computer.

"I mean, if she did get a hold of it, she'd rather break it than look at it," he continued, "and maybe that's better."

Some strange, uneasy feeling rolled in the small corners of the girl's stomach. But she ignored it and kept focused on the screen.

"Gaz means well, I know she does…I _think_ she does…I _hope_ she does…" Dib told the camera, "She has to! She's the best sister deep inside, and I love her to death, but…she just has these walls built up…"

"But I…" Gaz whispered to the video, "I _don't_ mean well…"

"Sometimes I wish she'd…listen to me…at least once in a while. You know? Like when I've discovered something that I find amazing? If I could tell her and she could just say, 'that's great, Dib' and not…and not 'No one cares, Dib…'"

Gaz swallowed and fidgeted.

Dib breathed slowly and his eyes wandered. "I wish…you know…That someone cares…I want—you know—to be reassured that someone cares…" He looked towards the ground, and his arms wrapped around him in a snug embrace, as if he were hugging himself for comfort.

His sister reached towards the screen in a solemn melancholy. She didn't quite know why, but she had the odd, gripping urge to come into physical contact with him, not to harm him—which found the most shocking—but to…maybe…no, of course not. Her? Give him what only he would give himself? Gaz felt a little light-headed, and her arms dropped limply at her sides. Had Dib ever received a hug from anyone else?

'Of course,' she thought. Dad had torn himself away from his work before, to spare a few minutes to hug a child of his when asked. Well, at least, she remembered him doing so for _her_…

"Well, I guess I had better go," Dib forced a smile in a vain attempt to cheer himself up. "Earth's defender can't take too long of a break, now can he?" He rose to his knees and leaned towards the camera to end the recording. But before he could a sudden unseen crash sounded off-screen, and Dib flew backwards in utter alarm, and just in time as well—he narrowly avoided being impaled by a metallic blur that revealed itself as a large kitchen knife when it came to an abrupt stop in the wall. Dib stared and gulped at it, buried almost to its handle in the wood, until a grating screech summoned his full attention to the source of the knife—and apparently the sharp dissonance—and immediately he paled.

"Dib! You've-just-made-a-_horrible_-mistake!" a venomous voice yelled from off-screen. The boy, terrified to the core and clearly unaware of why the offender was targeting him, flattened himself against his wall as if magnetically pinned to it.

"_How-many-times-do-I-have-to-tell-you_," the ominous tone demanded, "_not…to…lose…the…remote?_"

Dib put his full effort into an attempt to form words, but any words that came out were drowned in short, sharp gasps of breath.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get in there and _find it!_"

On command, the boy obediently nodded, pulled himself from the wall, and walked across the bed on his trembling knees to the camera, all the while gasping, "I'm sorry—Gaz—I didn't mean to—sorry—_sorry_…" With a last longing look at the screen, he stopped the recording.

Forced back at the edge of the stool by an unseen gust, Gaz wriggled herself into a much more balanced position, but her head was still spinning out of control. Her sweaty hands were brought to her lap to rest, but when she realized she didn't much care where they rested, she permitted them to slide down over the side of her stocking-clad legs and dangle alongside the stool, where they limply knocked against the cold metal a few times. Her mouth and throat felt hoarsely dry, and weren't helped at all by her jaw dropping and hanging there—leaving them more devoid of moisture. The girl stared distantly into the now blank screen. She honestly wondered which had frightened her more in the video—the knife or the voice. And—that voice—struck something in her—the sheer hatred in it…

Gaz suddenly felt queasy. She numbly realized that, though she was fully aware that the sharp, stabbing voice was her own, it seemed so…alien to her.

She shook her head. 'This is stupid,' she thought, 'What's gotten into me?' She fought the urge to continue playing the disc's files, but quickly she lost.

"Chapter Sixty-Eight. I really wish Zita would mind her own business…Chapter Sixty-Nine. The worst part of having Ms. Bitters for a teacher is...Chapter Seventy. Chunk is such a jerk, and you won't believe what Zim had the nerve to say this time. And to top it off, Gaz only laughed when I told her. The worst part of that is I've come to expect that from her…"

Gaz shrank back, uneasy, when she finally stopped the disc and ejected it. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but it was odd, it was foreign, and it left an awful taste on her tongue and a slightly churning feeling in her stomach. She really wasn't fond of it in the least. Jerking away from the computer with Dib's disc close to her, she happened to once again notice the sand creature. Its deep green eyes still studied her, unblinking. Discomfort growing, she swallowed and gave the being an uneasy scowl.

"Is it too much to ask for you to stop staring at me?"

The monster said nothing, which Gaz realized made sense, as it had no discernible mouth.

"Do you hear me? Do you understand? Can you move at all?"

Again, the creature had no verbal response for her, but a very small shiver went through its loose, grainy hide.

"Well, I guess that answers those three questions," she admitted, "Now stare at something else."

The sand monster did not comply, but for the first time Gaz saw it blink. When it still did not take its eyes off of her, her anger mounted.

"I'll tell you one more time—_stop staring at me_."

Finally, the oddity shifted its eyes away from her and took to studying the readout on a nearby monitor. Satisfied, Gaz slid off the stool, but as she did so she happened to catch her foot in one of the rungs. Down she fell, the stool nearly falling on top of her. The thud she made as she landed caught the creature's attention, and it looked back at her with obvious concern. But Gaz was not pleased.

"I told you _not to look at me!_" she scrambled to her feet and stomped over to the being. Unceremoniously she lashed out with one foot and kicked the tube that housed the cryptid, causing the glass to shatter. Taking cover, Gaz waited until all of the glass had fallen, and then she looked back. The poor creature's sand-like body had fallen apart without the sticky fluid it had been incubated in, and it was now pooling out onto the floor. The girl watched as the dying monster's form traveled slowly until it was a few inches from her feet. Then its luminous eyes turned their gaze on her once more, with that same pained look her brother had given her so many times before, and then the eyes glazed over.

Light-years away a tall, shadowed figure doubled over as a sharp pain struck her heart. Her companion, nearing Earth, sensed it. His green eyes widened in alarm.

"_What's wrong?_" he voiced in telepathy.

Her shoulders fell. "_We…lost visual and audio on the subject…_"

"_Why?_" he inquired of her, fearing the worst.

"_Because…we lost…we lost…_" a tear fell from her eye.

He understood. "_No…_"

She leaned against the wall of her unearthly home. "Rest in peace," she whispered to her fallen friend.

Gaz said little to nothing until dinner. Popping a large bowl of Explodey Beans in the microwave, she held up Dib's video diary and stared blankly at it for the umpteenth time. She had earlier intended to dispose of it, but after the incident in the lab, she somehow couldn't bring herself to.

"Gaz? Gaz, is that you in the kitchen?" the computer disc's owner called from the living room. Gaz absentmindedly nodded, not thinking to vocalize her response. She heard a bit of stumbling and a thud in the next room, and Dib's flailing arms entered the kitchen, soon followed by the rest of him. His sister was slightly confused for a second, and then she recalled her little stunt with his camera. Dib still had not regained his sight.

Gaz felt an uncharacteristic stab of guilt. Their father would probably not be home that night. How long exactly would her brother's sudden disability have to continue? She wondered if at least his hearing had fully come back.

"Dib…?" she said at an "indoor voice" level.

"Yeah?" he turned to face her, his eyes glassy and distant.

"I…um…You can hear…?" her hands beginning to tremble, she gripped the disc tighter to keep from dropping it.

"I guess so," he told her, "My eardrums are still sore…Do I smell Explodey Beans?"

"Uh-huh," Gaz said as the microwave went off. She took the beans out and placed them on the table. Setting the disc down beside it, she looked back up at her brother, who was now groping his way to the table.

"You—can't see anything?" the girl asked.

"Not a thing. Not even light, actually," Dib's expression slightly skewed into a look of distress. The boy's hands finally found the nearest chair and he climbed into it.

In automated motions, Gaz fetched two smaller bowls and divided the food, her eyes rarely leaving the ground. Passing a bowl and spoon to her brother, the younger sibling sat down with her own dinner and picked at it. She frequently stole a glance up at him, and each time she saw him picking at his own food at the same pace, looking inwardly upset. Her breathing deepened and she soon found she could no longer stand the apprehensive atmosphere he had brought into the room.

"Get over it," she growled.

The boy lifted his head. "What?" He appeared to be considering the possibility that she was speaking to some silent visitor she had not introduced him to.

Gaz stood. "Enough of this bullshit. So I blinded you. Big deal. Our dad is a brilliant scientist who can fix your eyes easily when he gets home. Quit making me feel like this _or else_."

Dib understandably was confused, but he wasn't that way for long, as his sister could rarely be predicted anyway. He finished his dinner rapidly, awkwardly fumbled to the sink to put his bowl and spoon away, and set to feeling his way to his room.

The two siblings largely stayed out of each other's way for the rest of the evening, aside from a few times when Gaz would trip her blind brother in the hall to lighten her own mood. Fortunately for Dib, bedtime arrived quite soon.

Though she found it very odd, Gaz had significant difficulty getting to sleep that night. After tossing and turning for at least two hours, she drifted into uneasy rest. It had to have been well past midnight when she found herself awake again—but from what she had no idea. Feeling something wasn't quite right, the girl sat up and scanned her room. Her many robotic dolls lined the walls, but one stood out from the rest, looming over the foot of her bed. Half-asleep, eyes not yet adjusted to the dark, Gaz blearily inquired, "Dib?"

The dark figure did not answer. Gaz began rubbing her eyes.

"Dib, if you don't get out of my room, I'll—" She then realized that she had used her more effective threats on her brother that week. Her mind becoming a bit more awake, it occurred to her that the figure was far too tall to be Dib. She took her hands away from her eyes and regarded her unidentified visitor again. This person was certainly not shaped quite like her father, and didn't look like any doll she remembered having. Nevertheless, she thought she'd test it.

"Back to your post, sentry," she ordered. The shadowy being did not obey. Gaz began to feel very unsettled as she stared into a pair of glowing green eyes. A shiver ran down her spine as she likened them to those of the sand creature in her dad's laboratory. As she looked the strange silhouette up and down, she noticed that matching the eyes was a glowing green symbol on the shadow's chest. It appeared to be initials—"II". What they meant, however, was Gaz's last concern. She shrank away from the bizarre intruder and drew her bedcovers higher.

It was then that the figure began to lean in towards her. By staying on its feet it couldn't quite reach her when she scrambled back against her headboard, but, to Gaz's horror, the shadow's torso stretched so that its face was soon inches from hers. She threw a punch at its face, only to realize that the closed sleeve of her teddy bear pajamas well cushioned the blow. Unfazed, her unwelcome guest extended a pair of arms otherwise camouflaged with the rest of its form, and took hold of Gaz. She flailed and swung at her offender wildly with both hands and feet, but to no avail. Her heart pounded and her eyes darted around the room desperately as the strange being plucked her from her bed and reassumed its starting position. The girl's eyes fell on her door and she immediately thought of the hall, the room—and its occupant—that lay beyond.

"_Dib!_" she tried to scream, but was far too choked up by fear to do anything more than whisper. Feeling herself being elevated, she shot her attention back to her captor. He was rising into the air, faster and faster—and taking her along. She wriggled and twisted in hopes of freedom, but in vain. The figure ascended towards the ceiling, and as the child watched with widening eyes, began to faze through it. Gaz had no idea how, but she was soon going through her ceiling as well. She still found herself unable to speak, and both captor and captive were unseen as they swept off into the night.


	3. Order

**Author's Note:** Pleasantly surprised? Chapter 3 and it hasn't been even near two years since the second chapter!

Chapter 3: Order

By the time Gaz found herself able to scream again, she was certain she and her captor where well out of any Earthling's earshot—not that she didn't try. Her mind reeled at what she was seeing. They were shuttling through the atmosphere at an alarming pace. She watched as her house got smaller down below; and then reluctantly looked her abductor in the face. The shadow met her gaze, and startled her by finally speaking.

"I'm sure you have many questions. All will be explained at our destination."

Gaz certainly was not interested in the least at reaching this mysterious "destination". But she did indeed have many questions, not all of which related to the nature of the abduction. For she could not fathom an explanation to the illogical aspects of their flight. Why was her body not reacting to the change in altitude? Why were they not burning up at their rate of ascension? And—_especially_ as they reached outer space—how was she still able to breathe just fine?

The strange humanoid spoke to her again. "You should get some sleep. We have a long journey, and you will need to be rested for the coming ordeal." He had a distinctly male voice, and spoke perfect English. Gaz wanted to puzzle over this whole situation longer, but she suddenly felt quite fatigued. Maybe she would get some more rest. It was quite probable that this was a dream anyway. She thought she'd drift off to sleep for the time being—until the dream ended, or at least until something changed…

Back on Earth, in the house she'd been forced to leave behind, Dib woke suddenly with a cold sweat. He couldn't at all remember what he'd been dreaming about, but nonetheless he felt shaken. He sat up and looked around, but he found he was unable to see. By force of habit he reached in the direction of his nightstand for his glasses, and then remembered. He despaired at the thought. Gaz had done some horrible things to him, but this was one of her worst. Brushing away the tears that were rushing out, he yet again silently asked himself why he loved this girl he called his sister. And why _did_ he call her his sister? Not only was there nothing likeable about her, but she treated him inhumanely. _And always either for little or no reason._ She certainly never treated him like _her brother_. But…he _needed_ someone around to love. Though Gaz wasn't worthy of his love, she was the only one he always had around.

But frankly, at the moment he was tired of thinking about her. He lay back down and rolled over, and he managed to fall asleep again by imagining what life would be like with a real sister.

Several hours later, Gaz's circadian rhythm told her it was morning. She groggily squinted at her surroundings, doing her best to stretch in the shadow's arms. It took her eyes longer than normal to adjust, as the starry sky she'd been whisked through was interrupted by a shaft of light up ahead. She shielded her eyes but only looked away when they hurt considerably. Eventually her eyes became used to the light, and she began to make out shapes. Slowly she saw an ornate building façade with large double doors—_a building?_ Gaz looked around wildly. They were indeed still in outer space. She did not see any planets nearby, but rather the artifice seemed…merely to float in the air (or lack thereof). But then, it occurred to the child that her life—particularly with Dib and Zim involved in it—never really made sense anyway.

"You woke just in time," her captor told her, "We have arrived."

Gaz gulped and anxiously turned her attention to the double doors, which had begun to creak open. She soon spotted a figure waiting inside. A tall shadow, similar to the one carrying her. Her celestial kidnapper gravitated to the entrance and landed.

"You've made impeccable timing," the waiting silhouette told him. This creature had a female voice. And as Gaz studied her, she noticed that a glowing green "I" adorned her chest.

"It was my first trip to Earth," Gaz's captor answered, "Once I made it there, retracing my steps made the return trip shorter."

The female shadow nodded and turned her attention to Gaz. "Ah, Gazlene. Just the lady we wanted to see. Welcome—" here she gestured to the elaborate interior behind her "—to Shifting Sands."

"Okay…" was the best reply that came to Gaz's mind as she was set down. "You knew my name and where to find me; now do I get to learn yours?"

"We are the Destinies, my dear." As the shadow spoke, a line of about eleven other silhouettes came into visibility. Each bore a slightly different initial or set of initials, such as "V", "VI", "IX"—Gaz soon understood. They weren't initials, but Roman numerals.

"I am the First Destiny," the "I" shadow gestured to her numeral, "and this is the Second." She gestured to the Destiny who had brought Gaz there.

"Destinies?" Gaz raised an eyebrow, "Wouldn't something like 'Fates' have sounded catchier?"

"Already taken," the Second stated, "Those crones in that myth, who shared an eye…"

"So," the human questioned, "What am I here for?"

"Retribution, Gaz," the Second was quick to answer.

Gaz was taken aback. "For _what?_"

Many of the Destinies exchanged glances.

"Well, there's this boy," XII, the Twelfth Destiny, started.

"He's looked out for you since you were born," VII, the Eighth, continued.

"He's always been there for you when you needed him," the Third piped up.

"He's loved you for years with all of his heart," the Sixth added.

"He's treated you wonderfully," the Tenth commented.

"But you have treated him horribly," the Fifth declared.

"You hurt him," the Ninth accused.

"You threatened him," the Eleventh stated.

"You made his life miserable," the Fourth pointed out.

"You tried your best to make him feel worthless," the Seventh spat.

"You abandoned him when he needed you," the Thirteenth fumed.

"You treated your loving brother like insignificant dust," the Second said.

"And you are here to see the error of your ways," the First explained.

Gaz looked her in the eye. "You've _got_ to be kidding."

The First Destiny answered her with a look of disbelief. "Come," she turned and began to float to the nearest hall, "Let us head to the courtroom—where the trial shall commence."

And Gaz followed her—not because she agreed, but because there was probably nothing else to do in a courthouse in the middle of space.

The thirteen Destinies led Gaz through a number of bizarre rooms and corridors. One chamber contained several eerie, lifelike sand sculptures—and Gaz could almost have sworn that some changed shape when she turned her back. One corridor contained a large mural on either side, each mirroring the other. They depicted a dark, endless sea—and Gaz was almost convinced by the atmosphere that she could fall in if leaned on the wall. Another chamber was very dimly lit, and the only thing truly visible was what oddly appeared to be a TV screen…

Finally she was ushered into an enormous courtroom, with carved mahogany benches, stained-glass arched windows, Romanesque columns, and a domed ceiling—the highest point of which must have been forty feet up—with a small skylight showing the stars outside. Gaz surprised herself by gaping at it all with wide eyes.

"Hope the décor isn't too lavish for your liking," said the First as her dark, almost gaseous form swept up the main aisle. Gaz found herself following, preceding the other twelve other Destinies. The First floated to a foreboding judge's podium and was seated.

"The defendant's bench, if you will," she gestured regally. Gaz took a seat where indicated. She pulled her short body onto the bench in her pajamas, but once seated, she found she was again in her daytime clothes.

The Second took his place alongside the First, the eleven remaining Destinies filed into the benches around Gaz, and the First slammed a gavel onto its rest.

"This court will now come to order; the honorable First Destiny presiding," the Second announced.

"We are here for the case of the defendant, Gazlene," the First gestured to her, "versus the Destinies and Dib." She gestured to the place where Dib presumably would have sat.

"Yeah…" the extra-terrestrial judge turned to her bailiff, "I probably should have sent you after him, too."

"I probably should have thought to get him, too," the Second nodded, "I'm good at remembering my way. I shouldn't be gone long." He saluted the court and swept down the aisle and out of the courtroom.

"Well, while he's doing that," the First turned to Gaz, "I guess I'll give you an overview of the trial, and then we'll get on with the preliminary crime review."

Gaz rolled her eyes, but the First calmly continued.

"First of all, we have a total of seven days to complete this trial, this being Day One. Objective One is the preliminary crime review, in which we review your offenses that are relevant to the hearing. Objective Two, when your brother arrives, is to give him the lowdown on what's happening. Objective Three, we show the two of you to your rooms."

"_What?!_" Gaz shouted, "You expect us to stay here for a _whole week?_"

"Did you think we were going to drop you off at home every night?" Gaz was certain the entity would be smiling if she had a mouth.

"I can't believe this is going to even _take_ a week!" When the small human pouted, the First took on a more empathetic look.

"You'll like staying here, Gaz—you and Dib both will. We have luxury guest rooms and a fine dining hall."

"Whatever, go on."

"Objective Four: the testaments. Objective Five: you plead your case. Objective Six: the intermission. And lastly, Objective Seven: the verdict."

"And then..?"

"According to the verdict, punishment or leave."

"What?" Gaz said crossly, "Am I going to a torture chamber or something?"

"Why no," First stated, "We believe in punishment that fits the crime—something I fear you would know nothing about."

"Are you here to make fun of me or to judge my 'wrongdoings'?"

"I was merely stating a fact that needed to be stated," The First explained, "But yes, let us get on with this ordeal."

As she looked on, Gaz was almost sorry she encouraged things to get moving. The First Destiny clapped her gavel down, and the wall behind her flickered, glowed, and became a gigantic viewing screen.

"Exhibit A," First declared. A video clip began to play on her command. Gaz noticed a wooden, box-like device emerge from the wall and lower over the upper left corner of the screen. The date "June 5, 1997" flashed into view across it. Gaz was horrified to see, displayed on the screen, her own living room—herself and her brother sitting on the couch.

"You were _spying_ on me?" she asked, but for whatever reason, she wasn't all that interested in the answer. She watched transfixed as her recorded self spat out a threat to Dib for coughing and thus interrupting her game.

"_Sorry, Gaz," he apologized hoarsely, "Just feeling a little under the weather today—"_

"_And now you're talking, and consequently deterring me from my high score."_

_Dib nodded and was silent—then decided it was best that he leave the room, lest he make any more distracting noise. But getting up from the couch caused it to creak, and Dib froze at the ominous "Game Over" music that sounded from the Gameslave. Gaz wordlessly turned it off and stood, leaving her game on the sofa. She faced her worried sibling._

"_Honestly, Dib," she inquired calmly, "What the hell is your problem?"_

"_Oh, come on; it was the couch," he reasoned, "It's not my fault that it creaks."_

"_I'm about sick of you," she hissed, and Gaz—the present Gaz—cringed as her on-screen counterpart struck Dib across the face and left the room restarting her game._

"Exhibit B." _August 25, 1999. Gaz broke Dib's glasses for talking to her._

"Exhibit C." _January 17, 2000. Gaz beat up her brother for eating the rest of the cereal._

"Exhibit D." _April 23, 2001. Gaz threatened Dib's life because she misplaced her game…_

Lights dotted the scene below the Second Destiny. He mused at how the city was almost a reflection of the starry sky above it. But the sky, like the city, was losing stars by the minute, as morning was slowly creeping over both. But it wasn't completely there yet. The Second descended to the blue two-story in the middle of the block. He fazed through the roof and into the second-floor hall.

Thinking he may have heard something outside his bedroom door, Dib woke and turned his face towards it. He never heard the door open, but he soon had the strange feeling someone was in the room with him. He shrank back into the covers, and whispered, "Hello?"

He jumped when he was answered: "Don't be afraid."

"Gaz!" the boy squeaked, "There's someone in the house!"

"Don't waste energy," the intruder told him softly, "Your sister isn't here."

"How do you know?" he faced him, "What have you done with her?"

"She is unharmed," the man assured, "Come with me."

Before Dib could either accept or protest, he felt a very large, spidery-fingered hand wrap around his waist. He resisted in vain as he was lifted upwards, and his screams, regardless of his attempts, could not be vocalized. He soon was held against a soft, featureless body, and he became aware that both he and the stranger were rising into the air. In a matter of seconds, Dib was disoriented to realize that they had traveled outside, as if there were no ceiling or roof to stop them. They _had_ to be outside—there were birds chirping nearby, and a morning breeze was blowing around them.

And yet, Dib had only one question at the moment for his captor. "Where are we going?"

"You will see," the abductor replied, "Rest now."

At the moment of the man/entity's suggestion, Dib's eyelids felt very weighted. His kidnapper's torso was warm and comfortable, and though the child knew it was best to stay awake in a situation like this, the being had some sort of uncanny spell cast over him. Before he knew it, Dib's sightless eyes were closed.

The Second Destiny smiled—only with his eyes, for lack of a mouth—at the innocent sight in his arms. The small boy curled towards him and fell soundly asleep.

"Yes, Dib," the Destiny whispered his solemn promise; "We _will_ make her see that she's wrong."

"Exhibit Z." _Dib laid a curse on Gaz; making everything she ate taste like pork. She tormented him to find the cure, and when he believed she'd failed the test to cure her, he offered himself to be punished in her place. And she was all too willing to allow it…_

"Well, we can't really show your every offense," the First finally said, "We only have on tape what you've done at home, and these twenty-six the court has already viewed aren't even a fourth of what we have. We really don't have enough time."

As First (and for that matter, every one of the Destinies) had secretly dreamed, Gaz huddled in the defendant's bench with her cheeks bright red, wishing she could faze through the bench and sink into the floor. She looked up ever so slowly to meet the First's sharp eyes, not even daring to meet the eyes of the jury.

"I never realized…" Gaz swallowed. Then her eyes widened. She glared defiantly at the judge to save face. "But—but he _deserved_ it! All of it! He earned every bit of the 'abuse'"—she gave air quotes—"I gave him. He took out his own miserable life on me. He rambled on and on when I _told_ him—yes I _told_ him, if that's not already on your stupid records—time and again that I didn't want to listen. He needled at me, and then he would ask _me_ if _I_ wanted to do any talking! I just wanted to play my game!"

"He…" the First echoed, "…_deserved_ it? When all he did was talk to you? When he had _no one else_ to talk to?"

Gaz shrank. "Well, okay, maybe not 'deserve', but…but surely you know Dib! He's crazy, he's paranoid, he's annoying—why is _he_ worth my better treatment?"

"He's _not_," First sighed, "_Your_ better treatment of him is still awful."

It was then that a rap on the courtroom door echoed.

"Enter!" the First granted. The door swung open to reveal the Second Destiny, cradling a small, squirming figure in his arms. He floated up the aisle and stood Dib in front of the judge's podium.

"Where am I?" the child may have murmured. Upon being set down and released, he turned and waved his arms fitfully in the Second's direction, and grabbed hold of the entity's plasmid robe for security.

"I hadn't seen him since I first left Saturday night," the Second said, "What happened to his eyes?"

"_Our dear little Gaz,_" First's voice dripped sarcasm.

"I was hoping the Fourth could…" the Second looked towards the benches.

"I'll give it my best shot," a male Destiny stood and hovered to and up the aisle. He knelt and took Dib's face in his hand.

"Electric shock you told me, yes?"

The First Destiny nodded. The Fourth examined Dib, nodding here and there and adding a few "mm-hmm"s. He finally reached into a pocket of his robe and fished out a drawstring pouch. The Destiny took out a handful of what appeared to be blue fog. He then tossed the strange matter into Dib's eyes. The boy jerked back, rubbed his eyes, and blinked.

"I…I can see!" he exclaimed in amazement. When the initial excitement faded, Dib began to take in his surroundings. He then gasped in surprise at the unusual beings around him. His eyes finally fell on his sister.

"_Gaz!_" he immediately brightened, "I was scared to death for you!" He bolted to her side. "You're okay, right?"

"Well, if it isn't the man of the hour," she hissed.

"What's going on? Why are we here?"

"This sibling abuse has gone on much too long, Dib," the Second piped up.

Dib whirled around. "I never do anything to her!"

"Oh, no, sweetie," Second told him warmly, "We mean Gaz's abuse of you."

Dib stared in shock. "R-R-Really? No one ever thinks that _she_—"

"Well, we do," the First confirmed, "And Gaz is here to be punished."

The young boy's face fell. "Wait…you're going to do something to her?"

No Destiny answered, but all eyes but Dib's fell on Gaz. She rose, and Dib eyed her in question. She took a deep breath, somehow knowing the answer.

"That's…your decision."


	4. Trial and Error

Chapter 4: Trial and Error

"What?" Dib was beyond confused.

"You will have a great deal of input in the verdict," the First said.

"Well, good, because I say you return us home immediately," the boy crossed his arms.

The First shook her head. "Overruled."

"_Listen,_" Dib looked up at the judge sternly, "You kidnapped two kids from their beds, and now you're calling one of them a criminal? Thank you for restoring my eyesight, but that doesn't mean I'll let you hurt my little sister. Now he—" the boy jabbed a finger in the Second's direction, "—is going to pick us up and fly both of us back home now, or so help me, I'll—"

"_Riiiight,_" the Second rolled sarcastically, "We're just going to send you two home, as are, so she can blind you again."

"We're not interested in doing harm to anyone," the First chimed in, "We are interested in justice. Take the plaintiff's bench, please." She waved a hand to indicate it. Dib crossly sat down, and found to his surprise that he had been instantly converted from his nightwear to his daywear.

"Cheer up," the Second Destiny's voice had softened, "You'll be pleased with the turnout."

"For starters, welcome to Shifting Sands, Dib," the Third greeted.

"Indeed. I think we should give him an introduction," First rose from the podium and floated to the children.

"Dib, as Gaz already knows, we are the Destinies. I am the First Destiny: leader, judge, urban legends enthusiast. This is the Second Destiny: bailiff, most recently retriever, and sightseer. The Third Destiny is our toxicist, advisor, and a dreamer. Your eyes were fixed by the Fourth Destiny: doctor and romanticist. The Fifth: expert on planet Vort; the Sixth: herb-and-fig enthusiast with a big imagination; the Seventh: our cook and a pie lover. That's the Eighth, our psychologist and hamburger lover; the Ninth: strategist, plethora of ideas. The Tenth: diplomat and long talker, the Eleventh: analyst and actor; the Twelfth: relationship specialist, horror movie junkie; and last, but certainly not least, the Thirteenth: prosecutor and optimist."

Dib gave an unsure smile. "Great to meet you all. Can we go home now?"

"I'm afraid that for this week, this is your home," First told him, "Now here's the agenda: in the span of seven days, we have the preliminary crime review with your sister—which we've completed prior to your arrival—then we introduce you two to your guest rooms. Then we have the testimonies, then Gaz will be given a chance to plead her case; then we have an intermission to relieve some stress; then the court will hear the verdict and your sister will be punished or set free accordingly. So presently, please permit the Tenth to fulfill the next objective."

One Destiny, chest bearing an "X", rose, bowed, and motioned for the children to follow him.

"Your rooms are down this hall," the Tenth Destiny informed them after a short distance.

"This…is a nice hall," Dib commented to break up the silent tension in the air. Gaz commented with an unimpressed scoff.

"Thank you," the Tenth nodded, ignoring Gaz's impoliteness, "We want an accommodating atmosphere—for both the defendant _and_ the…shall we call you—plaintiff?"

The boy nodded slowly, shooting quick glances at his sister. "Yeah…as a matter of fact, I have—always—kinda—" Seeing her advance toward him, he bit his lip and cut himself off.

The Tenth Destiny swiftly placed himself between Dib and Gaz. "Say what you wish."

Dib struggled to keep his composure, but as he stared into the Destiny's eyes, his bottom lip trembled uncontrollably. "I…I _have_ always wanted—" His voice began to squeak. "—to see her learn her lesson! I _do_ want her to change! I want her to be my sister again…" It was then that the full impact of the situation hit him. After years of suffering abuse from his "sister" (suddenly the word, when being used to describe Gaz, left a sour taste on his tongue even though he wasn't speaking aloud) was standing before a judge, a pile of her injustices laying out for all to see…and at last…after so many brutalities Dib had been the target of over most of his childhood. Someone was actually going to help him.

"_She—doesn't—know—what—it's—like!_" Dib soon realized he was breaking out in sobs.

"Here's your room right here," the Tenth told him gently. He placed a hand on the child's back and led him to the next room. He then turned to Gaz and did the same with her, only leading her a couple doors down.

Gaz's eyes bulged at the site of her temporary lodging. It was dominantly scarlet red with a complementing touch of yellowish sand color. There was no black, no pink, and there were no spooky stuffed animals lining the walls. The girl growled, wondering why she had put up with this ordeal for this long.

Sniffling, Dib cleared his eyes of tears in order to regard his weeklong home. Scarlet and sand colors. Not his choice—he would have preferred blue with a few Swollen Eyeball Network posters here and there—but interior design meant very little to him in this situation. He crossed the room to an extravagant bed, at the side of which leaned a small stepladder. It seemed mismatched with the décor, as if it had been placed there as an accommodation for him. He smiled at the thoughtfulness, and climbed it to sit on his bed. He was smoothing a hand over the comforter, admiring the softness, when the Tenth Destiny floated through the open doorway after having shown Gaz to her room.

"Forgive my intrusion," he said softly, "but you seemed very upset…I have duties to attend to, but if you'd wish, I shall send the Eighth Destiny in. he's our psychologist, so I thought he might be the best candidate if you wanted someone to talk to."

Dib thought for a moment. "Actually—not to step on toes—but if it's not too much trouble, could I talk to the Second?" He remembered a powerful figure; warm, protective arms; a kind voice; and welcoming eyes.

The Tenth nodded. "I will see if he is busy. You would like him now?"

It was Dib's turn to nod. "If he can."

Gaz paced—or rather stomped—about her new room, spitting out words that a child her age should not know. The lavish bedchamber had a downy-soft bed (with a stepladder to help her short body onto it), faceted windows showing the brilliant cosmos, a lovely painting of seashells, and (to Gaz's surprise) a polished computer that matched the rest of the interior. But that was all beside the point. It was the principle of the whole thing—she had been kidnapped and was being held on trial by unearthly strangers, and subjected to all the humiliation that the trial entailed. Attempting to cool down, she plunked down in front of the computer on a carved, jewel-encrusted wooden office chair. She browsed half-intently through the programs until one caught her eye. _Rise of the Demon Moose_. After seeing nothing else that was even remotely interesting to her, Gaz pouted. This wasn't _Vampire Piggy Hunter_, and it wasn't portable like her Gameslave 2, but to her increasing rage, it would have to do.

Dib was rather engrossed in the computer that had been provided with the room when a knock sounded on his door.

"Um—come in?" he answered. He hopped down from his chair as the door opened. He smiled at the sight of the Second Destiny.

"You sent for me?" the shadow asked, closing the door behind him. Dib nodded and motioned for the Destiny to join him on the bed.

"The Tenth came in our commons room and called, 'Is the Second available to talk to Dib in his room?'" the Second recollected, "And I said, 'Sure, I'll be there in a second.' Then halfway there I saw a little amusement in that dialogue exchange…"

Dib nodded again, brightening. "Same happens here when I call dibs on something."

The Second's eyes smiled. "Occasionally I've heard 'The Fourth keeps going back and forth with this.'"

The boy's eyes began to sparkle. "Or like this one time when my dad took me and my sister out for pizza, and after she ate Gaz didn't look so good. Dad took her aside and said, 'Gaz, do you have—'"

Dib found himself unable to finish, as both he and the Second burst into a fit of laughter. By the time they finished Dib was again clearing tears from his eyes, but this time he was crying for a much different reason.

"So how do you like your room?" the Second asked him after the laughter died down.

"It's amazing," Dib sincerely replied. He gestured to the computer. "And to think there's entertainment even."

"We didn't want you to be bored out of your mind in your downtime."

"So, if I may ask," the small on looked up at the larger, "Why is your courthouse called 'Shifting Sands'?"

"Ah," the shadow leaned back on his elbows and tipped his head back. "The sands are never still. They are always moving—shifting. Like us—the Destinies. _We_ are always moving—and we bring change." He paused, and then added, "And the First always had a fondness for the edge of the sea."

Dib mused, "Not much of the sea around here, is there?"

"No," the Second agreed, "but this location better serves our purpose. You see, we are in a separate and isolated dimension, an outside realm that constantly readjusts itself as the universe expands—so that our home is always at the central point."

Dib's eyes widened in fascination. "We're in the center of the universe?"

His companion nodded his way. "It helps equalize our distance to planets. We don't only bring justice to those of Earth."

"Wow," the child was awed. "Have you been very far?" He looked out at the stars beyond the bedroom window. "Out there?"

"Well, I didn't fetch all of our 'clients' over the years," the Second told him, "but I've been to Earth and I've been to Irk, if that answers your question."

Dib nodded. "I would think that it would take a long time to get from here to Earth and back…but I know it didn't take too long for me to get from my bed to the courthouse."

"I sped up. I was learning my way to Earth when I went for your sister."

"But still—"

"Wormholes come in handy."

"Ah." Dib was silent for a moment, gazing out the window. He recalled that he hadn't had many pleasant experiences with wormhole, or space travel in general, but still they remained fascinating concepts to him.

"So, Dib," said the Second after that brief silence, "Was there something else you were wanting to talk about? The way Tenth talked, it sounded like you were upset."

The little boy's face fell. "Oh…my _sister_…"

His new friend's eyes took on an apologetic look. "Oh, I'm sorry. You were so happy and I ruined it."

"Oh, no" Dib smiled half-heartedly, "I'm glad you reminded me. I have really needed to get this off my chest." He took in a very deep breath and looked into the eyes of a warmly concerned Second.

"I…she…um…" he started hesitantly, and then looked at his hands, interlacing his fingers. He leaned away, towards his pillow, and faced it, as if withdrawing from his willing confidante. He looked back upon feeling the familiar large hand on his shoulders. The silhouette's eyes welcomed him to continue, and as the child leaned into his embrace, the Second pulled him closer.

"You can tell me if you want."

Dib's eyes shut tightly. "I can't tell you about my sister…" He opened them again and gave the Second a look of pure agony. "…because _I don't really have a sister_. A sister would look out for me. She'd be there for me when I needed her. And she'd hopefully love me with all of her heart. _I've_ done those things for _her_, so how come she gets her sibling and I don't get mine?"

"The answer to that is one thing we hope to get out of her."

"And what does she think gives her the right to torture me when I take the last soda?"

"That's another."

The young one's face drew tighter, and there was a growing heat behind his eyes. "Second, I…I _don't_ love her quite as much as I act like I do."

"I honestly can't blame you," the Second said sincerely.

Dib made eye contact, tears beginning to form. "You're really going to help me?"

"I promise."

The child brushed a few tears away and smiled a t his ally. "Thank you. I feel better. _A lot_ better."

The Second nodded and rose. After patting his small charge on the head, the plasmid creature drifted to the door. Watching him go Dib was soon struck by anther thought.

"Second?"

The addressed turned back. "Yes, Dib?"

"Gaz…You won't tell her what I said, right?"

"Of course I won't," Second gently promised, "No one has to know."

And as the Second Destiny closed the door behind him, Dib, feeling a large weight lifted from him, fell back on the bed. Within ten minutes he was napping.

"And how did it go with the lad?" the Fourth inquired upon passing.

"_Very_ well," the Second replied, "I connected with the kid. He confided in me."

"Did he now?" the Seventh smiled.

"Is he feeling better?" the Eighth checked.

"Quite a bit," Second told him, "Sorry I took this one."

"Oh, it's perfectly fine," the psychologist assured him, "As long as he's feeling better. Does Gaz need anything?"

"I asked," the Tenth answered, "She wouldn't hear of it…to put things _mildly_."

"Mind her not," the Fifth patted him on the back.

"We'll certainly change her outlook on things," the First produced a scroll from her robes. "Now, have we all reviewed the game plan?"

Author's Note: Before people ask: No, there's not going to be any romance between Dib and the Second Destiny.


	5. Testimony

Author's Note: A cover illustration for this fic can be found at my Fanart Central account.

Chapter 5: Testimony

Both children awoke the next morning (though it was hard to call it a "morning" in outer space) to the intercom announcement of the First.

"Dib and Gaz, please report to the dining hall for breakfast. That will be all."

The Second's voice was then heard. "The elevator is at the end of the hall to your left. The dining hall is on the third floor two doors down. You can't miss it." Then, away from the microphone, clearly not to them, "You can't expect people to know these things."

Having had no idea previously that there even was an intercom in their rooms, the kids prepared for the day and entered the hallway.

"Um…good…morning…Gaz?" Dib tried upon seeing her. She did not answer or even look at him, but headed for the indicated elevator. He followed her apprehensively, and they stepped into the lift together and silently made the commute to the third floor.

"I hope they have good food here," he said as they entered a hallway identical to their previous one. "That might lighten the pressure and stress of being here, especially for you, right?"

Gaz looked at him, a sharp eye cracking. "You think that knowing you care about my feelings will make me feel any better?" She cut him short as he opened his mouth to speak. "Well, somehow it doesn't. You know why?"

Her brother shook his head.

"This is all _your_ fault, stupid."

Dib stepped, nearly staggered, backward, eyes wide in shock. He felt as if she had punched the wind out of him (and he knew all too well how that felt). "It's…It's…_what?_ Gaz! _How the hell is this my fault?_ _I_ did _not_ abduct you and whisk you off to another dimension to go on trial!"

"I'm on trial because of what I did to you," Gaz told him in a "plain-and-simple" tone. "If you weren't there; if you weren't my brother; if. You. Weren't. Stupid. Annoying. Good-for-nothing Dib. I wouldn't have done anything to you and we _wouldn't be here!_"

Oddly, Dib was silent for a moment. He only stared at her, and for a moment a smirk made its way across Gaz's face. She thought she had him.

But something inside Dib, having been buried for years and forgotten, was beginning to stir. His look became piercing, a burning glare that made Gaz a little…uncomfortable. She knew he had never given it to her before, but yet it looked somehow familiar.

He spoke to her in a low voice, but it was a voice that sounded well beyond anger. "You. Think. That. It. Is _my_ fault. That. You. Have. Abused _me._ All. These. Years?" He cut her short when she opened her mouth to speak. "I took care of you, Gaz. I went above and beyond the duties of a big brother—much farther beyond than I ever should have; I carried your roles as well as mine. And what's more, I tried chipping away at that shell of yours, hoping I could piece us back together and make a family again. But I needed your help to do that. There were a lot of times when _you_ needed help, and I helped you. But when _I_ needed help, you ignored me. You are one of the most selfish and heartless people I've ever met, Gazlene Ethelnal, and I am _not buying into your guilty brainwashing scheme!_"

Mouth slightly agape, Gaz could only stare at him disoriented. She was so shocked, she wasn't entirely certain that she hadn't imagined Dib saying what he had. But as he stomped off to the dining hall, she did realize where she had seen that look before. It was the glare Dib always gave…to Zim.

The two entered the elaborate dining hall and met the eyes of ten Destinies being seated. The children were immediately greeted and shown to their chairs, and two of the three missing Destinies—First and Second—arrived from the intercom room. After all were seated the Seventh entered from presumably the kitchen, completing the group. She led a cart full of exquisite breakfasts, and she proceeded to serve them to each person present.

"Wow…this looks amazing," Dib surveyed his plate in satisfaction. "How did you know I like—?" He almost face-palmed. They had been watching him.

Gaz studied her eggs and toast, sniffing it carefully. "It could be poisoned, Dib. We don't know these people."

"Right…" He pondered it. "But if we're stuck here for a week, we're going to have to eat sometime." He cautiously cut off a piece of his omelet and smelled it. "Of course, I'd feel a little better if we had their word…"

"You have it," the Seventh nodded, and all other Destinies followed suit. The Seventh then proceeded to pour all each a glass of orange juice from the same pitcher. Sitting down, she lifted her glass.

"A toast?" she suggested.

The Second stood enthusiastically. "To the best outcome of the trial!" He thrust out his glass.

The First eye-smiled. "To universal peace!"

Caught up in the moment, Dib stood as well. "To—" he glanced quickly at Gaz, but looked away and ever-so-slightly shook his head.

"To justice!"

Filing into the courtroom, the company took their seats. Mounting the podium seat, the First clapped her gavel.

"Order in the court, please; we are on the start of Day Two. Since we have plenty of time, the testimonies is the only objective we'll be doing today."

"I haven't prepared anything to say," Dib spoke up.

"Don't worry; we'll walk you through it," First said gently. "Now, if Gaz will approach the judge."

Gaz crossed her arms and did so.

"Gazlene, you are charged with physical and emotional abuse of Dib. How do you plead—guilty or innocent?"

Gaz stared at the Destiny for the longest time. Then, with a glance to the other Destinies, and finally one long glance to her brother, she smugly faced the First.

"Innocent."

The First's eyes were gentle but firm. "Are you sure? Even when we've shown you our video evidence?"

"Shut up," was Gaz's defiant reply. "I don't care; just shut up."

The judge was calm; she did not even raise her voice. "Okay. You may take your seat."

"Objection, Your Honor," Dib stood. "Of course she would plead innocent—How do we really know what you plan to do to her?"

"I sincerely promise you we won't have her tortured or killed," First assured. "We fully understand that she is a child. Now we would like to call you to testify please."

Dib cautiously took the stand, his eyes not leaving the First as he did so.

"Dib," the Second approached him. "How would you describe your relationship with your sister?"

Dib blinked, unsure of how to answer. "I…" He was at a complete loss for words. After a gaze around the room, his eyes reflexively fell on his sister. However, he immediately caught himself on what he was doing. He was surrounded by adults who were on his side. Empowered, Dib took a deep breath and began.

"Though it's well beyond an understatement, I have mixed feelings about Gaz. I do admit she's a terrible person; she feels she can beat me up and threaten me again and again and she expects me to just take it. But since she's about the only one who's ever willing to be around me, I try to force myself to feel some sort of bond with her. I like to tell myself that somehow she does love me, because up until now, I didn't know many people who did."

Love. The word stuck in his mind. He had always, however subconsciously, known the truth: Gaz did not love him. He had often pretended she had…but now…

'…up until now, I didn't know many people who did.'

But now he was in a room with thirteen people who openly loved and cared for him.

The realization struck him.

He no longer had a reason to cling to her.

"I tried so hard to see any evidence that—" he glanced, somewhat mournfully and yet somewhat…happily, at Gaz, "—that she doesn't hate me." Meeting her eyes, his own eyes narrowed. "But that evidence is becoming painfully harder to find."

Gaz nearly cringed. Watching Dib's face harden, she was shocked to realize that…it almost intimidated her.

"Friday night she bashed my head on the floor," he stated grimly, eyes not leaving hers, "Saturday she blinded me with my own camera. And just because Dad would be able to fix my eyes when he got home, she couldn't stand it that I was upset!" His glare became deeper…more foreboding. "And then she had the nerve to trip me in the hall to make herself feel better. _I couldn't see a thing, Gaz!_"

Before realizing it, Gaz shrank back.

"You never seemed to realize," Dib hissed, "how _unbearable_ you made my life. _My life was hellish as it is!_ Especially with _saving the world from an alien invader!_ The world! That means _you_ too, you monster! But when I needed someone to talk to, you didn't even consider me worth your time. Oh, but you were interested in me when I was suffering, weren't you?"

He seethed, eyes stony and bearing down on Gaz. Those eyes…all the pain and suffering he'd been through…it was all staring her in the face.

Dib spoke again, a grating searing growl that emanated his angst. "I say she's guilty as charged."

The First nodded. "Thank you; that will be all." The plaintiff rose from the stand and returned to the bench.

"Gaz, if you will approach the stand, please." She turned to the defendant. "We will now hear your testimony."

Gaz shakily rose from the bench and faced the First, but her eyes stared unfocused. Her blank face barely moved as she timidly spoke.

"I…don't have anything to say."


	6. Nobility

Chapter 6: Nobility

"Are you certain?" the First asked solemnly. "You're more than welcome to speak your mind on this."

"I-I-He-Uh-Eh…" Gaz's eyes darted wildly. She pointed shakily in Dib's general direction and stuttered further. "I-I-I—" Her face then hardened. "I don't care! I don't care about him or his stupid feelings! And it makes me sick how you all fawn over your pathetic little 'victim'—"

"_Pathetic?_" Dib screamed at her. "I save the world from a psychotic invader! Does that sound pathetic to you? What's more, I live with _you!_ I put up with _you_ all the time. Don't you _dare_ call me pathetic, bitch!"

"I hate you!" Gaz shouted back. Both siblings were nearing tears. Gaz looked back at the First. "Forget him! He's not worth your time! Get the hell off my ass!" She shot up from her seat and stomped as loudly as she could out of the courtroom.

The First stood and descended from her podium. "Well, she's locked out of anywhere she could get in trouble. But—" she eyed a few other Destinies, "—why don't the Third and Tenth…'catch up' with her?"

Dib could have sworn for a moment that the First winked. The indicated Destinies gave understanding nods and exited the courtroom. The remaining Destinies stood and moved closer together.

"What's going on?" the boy questioned.

"Well, from the looks of things," the Second said as if sharing in an inside joke, "it seems the First has deemed it necessary for us to play our trump card."

Dib raised an eyebrow in curiosity. The Second's eyes twinkled.

"We will of course need your help."

"Who does he think he is?" Gaz's stomping echoed down the marble hallways she passed through. "Who do _they_ think _they_ are? They dare tell me how to treat _my_ brother? Argh! Now _I'm_ talking to myself!"

She reached her room finally and strode in. "Well, it's happened. Now I'm picking up on one of his stupid habits. If only I could just…do…something…Shit, I'm talking like him…"

As she headed towards her bed, a small gleam caught her eye.

"So what is this plan you guys have?" Dib queried. The First and Second had moved the party to the kitchen—the reason, Dib guessed, was that the walls echoed much less.

"Well, I sent a few Destinies to plant some 'convenient' supplies in your room," the First started…

The girl dropped to her knees to get a closer look at the shiny object under her bed. It appeared to be some sort of crystalline bottle. Gaz reached an arm up to the shoulder under the bed and fished it out. Though quite dusty, the many facets of the ruby red trinket shone in a way that could only be described as…sinister. She gazed at it with some effeminate appreciation—though still retaining most of her characteristic indifference—until she spotted a small yellowed tag tied to the bottle's neck. A spark of interest manifested as a raised brow as she held the old faded tag closer and squinted at it.

"_Herrium,_" she read in a whisper. "_This should solve everything. Take care._"

Glancing behind her to make sure her door was locked, she started the climb up to her bed to puzzle things further when a sudden _creak_ and _clang_ surprised her. Gaz looked to the far end of the room to see that a vent cover had fallen from the ceiling. She regarded the now uncovered vent. Loose screws, perhaps? But as careful and detailed as the Destinies seemed to be, surely they would have their screws tightened around the place? Maybe…someone else had opened and closed the vent? And the bottle…"herrium"…Gaz noticed a strange blood-red liquid inside…an artifact left over from an earlier defendant?

The girl glanced back to the vent and smirked. Scanning the room for a tall piece of furniture, she located a wardrobe under and to the side of the open vent. True to the design of the courthouse, the wardrobe was quite ornate. Large handles, deep carvings. 'Perfect footholds,' she thought. So, she crossed the room and set to climbing. She reached the top with fair ease, being so lightweight. She took a moment to synchronize her jump just right, and, with the herrium bottle in her mouth, successfully made the leap to the vent and climbed inside.

Exploring the air vent turned out a lot fewer passageways than Gaz had imagined. Of the few that were there, only one was proving to not be a dead end so far. She crawled for what had to be half an hour before she finally heard familiar voices from a room below. She crept more quietly, and once she was in full earshot she stopped tentatively to listen.

"So if I have this straight," Dib's voice said, "I just have to pretend I'm busting her out, and she faces the test of either trying to break free and go home or staying to finish the trial?"

"That's pretty much it," confirmed the Second's voice.

Gaz's eyes widened in fury. They were _setting her up?_ It was all she could do not to grit her teeth hard enough to shatter the bottle of herrium. She silently moved closer until she was peering through the room's vent cover. It appeared to be the kitchen: counters, strange-looking appliances resembling a refrigerator and stove, a wash basin…Gaz's eyes drifted over to one of the counters. An array of fine wine glasses were arranged in rows, each filled with something richly colored and effervescent. Fruit punch, perhaps? A treat for the upcoming intermission? Squinting at them, Gaz could almost swear each of the glasses was labeled with a name.

She took the herrium bottle from her mouth and regarded it again. She still did not know what "herrium" was, but considering the context, she felt she could make a good guess. Glancing from the bottle to the glasses and back again, the girl realized that the herrium was more or less the same color as the punch.

Now realizing that the company below was still talking, Gaz heard Dib say something to the effect of "I'll get right on that," and she saw several figures leaving the room.

Once she heard her brother's voice again, any faint voice of reason that was left in her died away. In her blind hatred and gnawing hunger for vengeance, she felt that this was what she must do.

When the First announced the start of Day Three, the Destinies' plan wasn't the only one that had been put into action.


	7. Conspiracy

Chapter 7: Conspiracy

"Everyone should be in court in a minute," the Second informed, "and then I guess we can start the next objective."

The First nodded from her podium as other present Destinies exchanged a few words while waiting.

"So tell me, Gaz," the First Destiny's fingers drummed on her gavel, "Have you learned anything so far?"

Gaz arched a brow in annoyance. "Learned? I thought this dump was a courthouse, not a schoolhouse."

"It is what you make of it," the First answered smoothly. "Much like life, incidentally." Her green eyes twinkled, almost as if she were toying with Gaz.

Gaz groaned. "I hate cryptic crap." She sank back into her bench, only to jump back up upon hearing the courtroom's large doors open.

"I'm here!" Dib announced on his entrance, preceding a few more Destinies. On his way to his bench, Dib stopped for a moment to pay his sister a glance.

"Good luck, Gaz," he said to her solemnly.

Feeling that she now had quite an upper hand, she gave him a shadow of a smile. "Yeah…good luck."

Once all were seated, the gavel clapped.

"Since everyone is now here, it is time for Objective Five," the First announced. "Gaz, the time has come for you to plead your case. You said you had something prepared?"

"I guess I do." Gaz rose and presented herself before the court.

"Everyone," she began, "I have been charged with years of heartlessly tormenting my brother, Dib. Of that…I am guilty."

Dib perked up in genuine surprise.

Gaz continued. "I'm guilty of beating him up countless times for no good reason. I'm guilty of berating and ridiculing him unmercifully almost day in and day out. I'm guilty of abandoning him in his every time of need. I'm guilty of treating him as a nuisance and an undue burden on this world, despite the fact that he risks his life all the time to save that very world from a 'big scary alien invader'."

She paused strategically to ensure that every eye in the room was on her.

"Oh yes, I'm completely guilty of all charges against me. But what I'm _not_…is sorry."

Gaz did not need to lay eyes on Dib again to know that the tiny glimmer of hope she had placed in him now faded. No one did.

"See," she explained, "I never did ask for a brother, let alone for _him._ I don't choose my family members, the people I'm forced to grow up with. And Dib calls himself a member of this family; calls himself _my_ brother and the esteemed Professor Membrane's son, so the least he could do is refrain from always making Dad ashamed of him, especially when Dad's nice enough to introduce the world to 'the future of the Membrane Empire'. But no, Earth's mighty defender has such a big ego that he thinks he has the right to be himself. He expects everyone to just accept him for who he is, and look how that's worked out for him."

She half-expected Dib's newfound confidence to guard him against each verbal strike, but a look towards him revealed that she had indeed hit a sore spot. With an expression of utter disbelief, he shook his head.

"You know, I always let _you_ be _your_self, Gaz. And that's really saying something."

Gaz bore down on him with her eyes, hoping to get her counterpoint across. "We can't all be ourselves in this world, Dib. Society will rip you apart. And don't give me any of that crap about _'Oh, but you're my family. I shouldn't have to hide who I am at home'_ and all that happy huggy bullshit. I did not ask to be your family, and I did not ask for you to act like a big brother towards me. I tried the best I could to distance myself from you, and when that didn't work I tried to make you hate me as much as I hate you. I tried and tried to beat that sibling concern out of you, but you're so stupid _you kept coming back!_ If Zim ever did wise up and become a threat, how would you expect to stop him if you can't even overcome me?"

The girl's face was red with exasperation, but to quite some surprise, she began to calm down, and stared at Dib just a little more softly. "You want to save the world when you can't even solve your problems at home."

After staring thoughtfully at her, Dib looked down at the hands in his lap as if he were actually considering that last sentiment.

"Hell, he doesn't even have the courage of stoicism to ignore the jackasses at skool. If he was in any shape to save the world, he would have given up trying to tell them how 'one day they'll be sorry'. You'd think, Dib, _you'd think_ that by now you would have given up trying to convert the idiots at skool and would spend more time on seeking allies for your cause elsewhere."

At this, a spark of realization ignited in her brother's eyes. Perhaps, in all her warped and twisted convictions, his sister had some small _shadow_ of a point here and there.

Gaz shook her head disapprovingly. "Maybe if you had shown me that you were a little more insensitive and a little more unshakeable; that you had a little more potential as a planet's hero, then _maybe_ I would have considered helping you with your 'mission'."

Dib was visibly stricken with a jolt of astonishment. "You—_Really,_ Gaz? You might have been willing to—_be my sidekick?_"

"Maybe if you had proved yourself to be a more fearless leader, yeah," she shrugged. "I mean, fighting off an invasion could be fun—like a real-life video game. But if I was going to be a 'sidekick', I needed a commander I could get behind; not someone who would bend to my power. I wasn't going to be your follower if I could hold you under my thumb."

Dib gaped at her incredulously. "Wait—_waitwaitwait wait_—you mean…you wanted me to take charge?"

His sister looked him in the eyes and nodded. "But you failed that miserably. You wanted to defeat a trained otherworldly soldier even though you were still submissive to your would-be second-in-command. I couldn't go into battle behind a leader who seemed way in over his head."

The other child was awe-struck. "Gaz…Gaz, why didn't you just say so in the first place? We could have teamed up and you could have taught me how to be tougher! All these years of wondering what the hell you possibly wanted from me—"

"I was testing you to see if you'd figure it out on your own," she stated simply.

Dib's face fell to confusion. "This whole time? Ever since Zim came? Really, that's been quite a while, Gaz. You'd think you would have realized by now."

"Well, when I did realize you weren't going to figure it out, I guess I just gave up on thinking it was ever going to happen."

Dib thought for a moment. "You know…maybe we didn't have to be leader and sidekick. Maybe we could have been just partners. I mean, sure, I'm the one with all the paranormal knowledge, but this way I could work out the plans and you could be our thick skin."

His vehement antagonist now faltered. "N-no, Dib," she said darkly, but uncertainly. "_No._"

"But we could—"

"_No._ No, I lost interest—a very long time ago."

The plaintiff's mouth now hung open, appalled, a move Gaz had not quite anticipated. "You—_'lost interest'?_ This—this is a game to you? Me, you, our world, and all we hold dear is in grave danger and you _lost interest?_"

He was yelling now. "We don't have three lives, Gaz! We can't just try the level over again when we lose! This is not a game, and _you're willing to stake our lives on the belief that Zim's just going to keep coming close and failing?_"

"Don't give me that," the defendant spat. "A lot of his plans fail before they even get put into action."

"_Because I'm there to stop him!_"

Gaz was still, and silently cursed her face for wavering. "Then…" She withdrew slightly despite her efforts. "Then why do you need me?"

Dib breathing slowed as he gradually went from fuming to frustrated. "I'm only one person, Gaz. I'm only one kid forced to grow up early. I can't carry Earth's safety alone."

The Destinies whispered and nodded amongst each other until the First's gavel sounded.

"Will that be all, Gaz?"

"…Huh? Oh, um, yeah…" Gaz nodded gently, her voice more distant and carrying much less of her usual derision. "Yeah. That's all. Guilty, don't care…end of story. You can discuss your verdict…your stupid verdict."

"Our intentions exactly," First clapped the gavel again. "Dismissed."

Though confident as she was in her plan, Gaz knew the evening still hung on pins and needles. The herrium had blended perfectly in Dib's glass of red punch, but what if, at some point before the intermission, it settled to the bottom and became detectible? What if Dib tasted something strange at first and refused to drink the rest of it? Such thoughts kept her hand uncontrollably shaking on the computer mouse back in her room as she tried to relax by playing _Rise of the Demon Moose_. Her nervousness, though, gave way to mounting rage when her preoccupied mind was causing her to lose the game. A knock on her door was just the interruption needed for her character to be killed by an enemy moose. But what normally would have sent Gaz over the edge now only brought a smile to her face, as it was just the visit she was waiting for.

"Gaz? It's Dib. I really need to see you in my room."

"Ugh, whatever. Coming," she answered in a convincingly agitated voice. It was time to play along with the "test". The girl looked in a mirror that had been provided with the room and took a moment to practice an innocent face. Once satisfied, she left the bedroom.

Dib, looking secretive and mindful, motioned for her to keep quiet as he led the way back to his room.

"I can't let this thing continue," he said in a near-whisper once locking the door behind them. Gaz turned her attention to the array of curious supplies on Dib's bed. Devices and gadgets such as a glowing…well, she had no idea what it was; a beeping…well, she did not quite know how to describe it; and a sparking…words escaped her as to what to compare it to.

"After some snooping around my room and a few others, I gathered some—things—that might help us escape. I wasn't quite sure what they were at first, but after some cautious tinkering I think I have them figured out."

"Where'd you find all this?" his conspiring sister pretended to be slightly curious.

"They must have been left behind by some earlier plaintiff—or more likely, defendant—who wanted to escape."

"Convenient," she crossed her arms, "but I don't really feel like risking it."

Dib looked rather confused. Gaz was never known to be particularly cautious.

She thought fast. "What? I can tell the Destinies are all just meddling idiots. They won't do anything to me."

"Well, I have a bad feeling about this whole thing anyway," Dib walked over to the bed and picked up one of the strange gizmos. "Now I think this is some sort of wormhole generator. I saw something similar in Zim's lab once, and it seems to have the parts theoretically necessary. Coupled with this doohickey here—which I believe to be a G-force compensator—I think if I can take just tonight, I can work out some coordinates on my room's computer and can leave before the intermission and verdict."

"Eeeyeah," Gaz said skeptically. "I'm sure you'll get us killed."

"Oh, don't worry, Gaz," her brother assured. "I've studied plenty into this. I've even built a prototype wormhole generator before…I think. And I've seen _your_ aptitude for mechanics, Gaz." He smiled. "_This is our chance to be that team._"

Gaz's sneer dropped. She was taken off guard by this. Even though she knew he was putting on an act, Dib's words tugged at something inside her.

"I could learn how to be the kind of leader you wanted," he clenched his fists in excitement, before opening one hand again and extending it to her. "What do you say?"

"_She's kind of my sidekick."_

"_Please, Gaz, listen to reason!"_

"_Gaz, you'd sacrifice the world just for some pizza?"_

"_We can stop him once and for all—you and me, as a team. What do you say?"_

"Knock it off, Dib." It came out shakily.

Dib moved closer to her. "Gaz, this is a chance to start over. We'd be unstoppable together, you know we would."

"I'm not 'teaming up' with you," she backed away, desperately trying to mask the faltering she felt coming on (but which she could not understand). "Leave me alone about it."

"Gaz, please."

"_Please, Gaz, listen to reason!"_

Dib's sincerity showed plainly in his eyes, making Gaz increasingly uncomfortable with the situation. Unable to look at him further, she turned away to block her brother out—

"…_you and me, as a team. What do you say?"_

-but she felt that even her beloved Gameslave 2 would not shield her from what came next—

"We could be siblings, Gaz."

At this Gaz shuddered—shuddered with the influx of emotions: the stress, the rage, the anxiety, the pain—

Pain? Why…why would it hurt? What was it about Dib's sentiments that now stabbed at her, gave her this unfamiliar, insecure, _sick_ feeling inside?

Her ingrained habits, her learned instincts, her _nature_ urged her to hit him, to make him suffer, to "put him in his place". She ached to bring company to her misery—

But she ran. Instead of hitting him, she ran out his door, down the hall, and into her room. She flung herself onto her bed, fingernails digging into the comforter, burning red face buried in the pillow, embarrassed out of her mind at having fled from her brother. The feelings of shame, however, did not stem from only that.

But surely, _surely_ she did not know what else it could be.


End file.
